Replacing Selfishness with Solidarity
2021 has started and humanity is still learning.
Let’s look at some of these lessons together…shall we?
Selfishness versus Solidarity – me versus Humanity
When confronted with imminent danger our most basic instincts tend to kick in.
“I must protect myself first, my family, my community, my country.”
We see it all around us – from panicked individuals to desperate and desperately hypocritical governments.
Except that this virus does not know any borders – it moves freely from continent to continent, from country to country, from family to family.
Instead of barricading ourselves behind fear, should we not try to completely change our strategy?
I say, let’s change the “me/ us first” approach.
Let’s start from the other end – from humanity.
Let’s discard the long expired “realism” that has only reinforced division, injustice, and poverty.
Let’s finally give prominence to what used to be considered as sheer utopia.
Let’s start from a place of total solidarity.
Isn’t it clear to see? We are all in this together.
Let’s open all borders, all doors. Let’s share all resources equally.
Let’s finally draw “=” between the richest person in the world, the homeless person and each “me”.
This is not sacrifice or magnanimity.
This is a simple and honest acknowledgment of reality.
We are all connected – at all levels.
Everything we do affects others. And everything others do affects us. Constantly.
So we protect ourselves to protect others. And we protect and help others to protect and help ourselves.
Selfishness does not work long term. We have tried it for several thousand years. We are still fearful, lonely, bitter, and vulnerable. Repeated wars, social and economic inequality and unfair, reckless exploitation of the world resources have not made us happy.
We must understand that we have a common destiny as humanity.
It is as humanity that we are writing our story in Eternity.
Right now, we’re on the path of self-destruction through division, cowardice, ignorance, and irresponsibility.
But there is still time to make it a story of union and fulfillment – of heroism, wisdom, compassion, and generosity.
Doing everything we do for the good of all is the only way forward and the only way it should be.
Ask yourself today: will I be willing to share everything I have, everything I am, and everything I can be, totally – with humanity?
And then start writing your own paragraph in our common story.
Make it an inspiring one, full of courage and positivity!
Soon, together, we will be changing the story of humanity.